PALAKKAD: A woman missing since March 17 from Kollam was found murdered and buried near a rented house in Palakkad. The body was that of Suchitra (42) of Kottiyam in Kollam.

The police has taken into custody a youth hailing from Kozhikode in connection with the incident. The arrested youth has been identified as Prasanth (32), a keyboard artist and a music teacher.

Kollam district crime branch team probing the case reached the spot and examined.

She was a beautician at a private firm in Kollam. She left for home on March 17 saying that her mother-in-law in Alappuzha is sick. Her family lodged a complaint at the Kottiyam police station as there were no information about her after that.

The body was found buried near the wall adjacent to the house. The forensic team also examined the spot. The youth has confessed to the crime, the police said.

The investigation reached Prasanth on checking Suchithra's phone. The two became close after they met at Prasanth's marriage. Suchithra came to Palakkad while his wife left for her house in Kollam after delivery. Prasanth's father and mother had gone to Kozhikode by then.

Suchithra on reaching Palakkad on March 17 lived with Prasanth. The murder was on March 20. She was choked to death as per the preliminary analysis.